‘Paddington 2’ is the Best Reviewed Movie of All Time on Rotten Tomatoes (For Now)

Paddington 2, a film about a very polite bear who has to face-off against Hugh Grant in a bunch of wigs, is now the best reviewed movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes. For now. This will change! But at this very moment in time, the film has held fast to its 100% rating. Let’s all celebrate by pretending the world isn’t a cesspool of misery! More on the Paddington 2 Rotten Tomatoes score below.

Have you seen Paddington 2 yet? If not, you might want to get with it, because the critical consensus seems to be that the film is an absolutely delight. You want proof? Okay, here’s some cold, hard data that’s irrefutable: Paddington 2 is the sole film to remain at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with over 163 reviews. Don’t take my word for it; look at this tweet.

Paul King, who directed Paddington and Paddington 2, provided this reaction to the film’s record-breaking high score:

“The Paddington films are a real labour of love. So many people pour their hearts and souls into them for months or even years, hand-crafting every last frame, and we are all incredibly grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve had so far. We hope it inspires people to go to the cinema to see for themselves if a talking animal film really can be any good, and whether Hugh Grant really can look devilishly handsome even while dressed as a nun. (Clue: yes.)”

As is always the case when reporting a story related to Rotten Tomatoes numbers, it’s important to remind the reader that these numbers are not the be-all, end-all in regards to quality. Just because Paddington 2 has such a high rating it does not mean the film is better than, say, something like The Godfather Part II. I don’t say this to diminish Paddington 2‘s accomplishment, but rather to provide perspective.

That said, Paddington 2 is, by most accounts (I haven’t seen it yet) a very nice movie, with a very nice message. And we, as a society of filmgoers, could certainly use more nice things. The world is often (translation: always) cold and disappointing, so a kind-hearted, charming movie about a marmalade-loving bear receiving such effusive praise can only be seen as a good thing.

This distinction pulls Paddington 2 ahead of Toy Story 2, which previously held the Rotten Tomatoes record for the most consecutive Fresh reviews without a single Rotten review. Last month, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird was on its way to arriving in the hallowed halls of Rotten Tomatoes 100% ratings, until some smug jerk came along and gave it a Rotten review just for spite. Knowing the way people are (translation: terrible) it’s only a matter of time before someone decides to do the same thing for Paddington 2. For now, though, let us all bask in this brief, fleeting, nice moment. Let us not snuff out this flickering spark yet, even as the darkness slowly closes in around us.